PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Conor Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Masato Takaya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Byrne comes into the arena with I'm Shipping Up To Boston blaring out of the sound system. Masato Takaya will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Byrne
vs
Takaya

162 cm
20
131 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

162 cm
24
145 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Conor Byrne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Masato Takaya!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Fujiwara and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Takaya fails with an attempt to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Takaya looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Takaya working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Byrne.
Takaya is trying to control the position but Byrne postures up.
Takaya looking to hit a scissor sweep but Byrne is one step ahead there.
Byrne trying to control the position from guard on top but Takaya is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Takaya has momentary wrist control but Byrne slips an elbow through the middle.

Byrne is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Byrne tries to free his leg and advance position but Takaya is retaining full guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Takaya instigates a clinch.
Takaya cracks Byrne with a nice body shot.
Takaya is trying to maintain a safe position but Byrne gets an underhook and turns Takaya into the ropes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaya cracks Byrne with a nice body shot.
Byrne blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Byrne goes for a takedown in the clinch but Takaya prevents it.
Takaya scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Takaya swings wildly with an uppercut but Byrne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takaya lands with a left to the head.
Takaya lands a body shot in the clinch.
Byrne lands a nice knee to the body.

Byrne jumps guard.

Byrne looking for a guillotine here but Takaya defends easily.
Takaya controlling from the top position.

Byrne is looking for a triangle but Takaya pushes his legs off easily.
Takaya must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Takaya sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takaya wants to control from the top but Byrne keeps moving.
Byrne is trying to control the position but Takaya postures up.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Byrne is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Takaya really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Byrne. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Byrne keeping moving, preventing Takaya from controlling successfully.

Byrne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Takaya trying to control but Byrne is working from the bottom.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Byrne trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Byrne walks into a straight right hand from Takaya.
Takaya cracks the inside of Byrne's front leg.
Takaya tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Byrne paws at him with a jab and circles away.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Takaya.
Takaya wants to clinch up but Byrne keeps it at a distance.

Byrne rushes Takaya and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Takaya lands an uppercut.
Takaya gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Byrne.
Byrne wants a takedown.
Takaya looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Byrne has had enough of the clinch but Takaya keeps him there for the moment.
Byrne blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Takaya blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Takaya works on Byrne's body with a couple of short punches.

Byrne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Byrne wants to clinch.
Byrne dodges the punch combination from Takaya.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Byrne tries to clinch there but Takaya circles away.
Byrne doesn't manage to clinch there - Takaya circles away.

Byrne closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Byrne lands in his opponent's guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Takaya is on top in guard.
Takaya looks gassed!

Byrne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Byrne keeping moving, preventing Takaya from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Byrne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Masato Takaya will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Byrne uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Takaya.
Takaya tries to close the distance and clinch up but Byrne swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Decent striking displayed by Takaya there.
Takaya fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Byrne swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Byrne fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Byrne clinches up with Takaya and pushes him back against the ropes.
Takaya lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Byrne backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Takaya lands an uppercut.

Byrne breaks the clinch.
Takaya swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Takaya fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Takaya looks for a takedown but Byrne sprawls well.
Takaya takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Takaya throws a series of punches but Byrne avoids them all with ease.
Byrne closes the distance looking to clinch

and Takaya decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Byrne's guard.
Takaya is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Byrne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Byrne wants to sweep here but Takaya controlling him for the moment.
Byrne is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Byrne is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Byrne is looking to advance position but Takaya won't allow it.
Takaya tries to roll over but Byrne keeps him under control.

Byrne is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Takaya is just riding it out for now. Byrne eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takaya avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Byrne.
Byrne has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Takaya regains half guard.
Takaya is refusing to be controlled, as Byrne sits in half guard.
Takaya is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Byrne's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Byrne's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne trying to control the position but Takaya manages to sink in the hooks.
A lull in the action here.
Byrne rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Byrne is looking to control Takaya's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Byrne avoid being mounted?
Byrne slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Byrne looking for a sweep. Not yet Byrne, not yet.

Byrne throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Byrne keeping moving, preventing Takaya from controlling successfully.
Byrne looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Byrne had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Takaya is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Byrne Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Takaya's back instead.
Byrne lands punches and elbows.
Byrne gets his hands free as Takaya looks to control.
Byrne is working the ground and pound. Can Takaya escape?
Takaya turns into Byrne and is now in his guard.

Byrne had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Takaya is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Byrne Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Takaya's back instead.
Takaya turns into Byrne and is now in his guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Byrne working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Takaya doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Takaya manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Takaya won't allow Byrne to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Masato Takaya will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Takaya lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Takaya throws a chopping leg kick but Byrne manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Byrne walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Byrne tries to clinch up.
Takaya misses with a double jab.
Takaya jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Byrne takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Takaya throws a leg kick but Byrne moved away.

Byrne shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Byrne was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Byrne looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Byrne wants to control the pace but Takaya is squirming around nicely.
Byrne looking to finish Takaya with some ground and pound. This is bad for Takaya!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Byrne throws a sloppy strike and Takaya uses the opportunity to reverse the position! A bit of a scramble here and Takaya has ended up in Byrne's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takaya preventing the sweep.
Conor Byrne overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Takaya trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrne is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrne keeping full guard, as Takaya tries to pass.
Byrne manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Takaya tries to lock up and control but Byrne gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Byrne pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Byrne tries to control but Takaya wriggling away.
Takaya is trying to reverse the position but instead Byrne has taken his back - oops!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Byrne missing with punches from the back.
Takaya takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Byrne has good solid back control here.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Byrne. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Byrne gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Byrne is landing with strikes from the back.
Byrne loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Takaya hold on?

Byrne is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Takaya knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Takaya for a finish.
Byrne doesn't have the hooks in and Takaya manages to turn into his guard.
Byrne throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne looking for a sweep. Not yet Byrne, not yet.
Takaya looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Byrne strikes from his own guard.
Takaya postures up.
Byrne doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Byrne has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Byrne looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Takaya trying to control but Byrne is working from the bottom.
Byrne is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Byrne is looking to sweep but instead, Takaya has passed into half guard.
Takaya wants to control but Byrne is keeping him busy.
Conor Byrne has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Byrne is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Takaya pulls his head out easily.
Byrne wants to improve his position but Takaya is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Byrne doesn't manage to clinch there - Takaya circles away.

Takaya pushes Byrne up against the ropes in a clinch.
Takaya managing to block the knees to the body from Byrne.
Byrne unloads a knee to the mid-section. Takaya lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Byrne tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Takaya just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Masato Takaya is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Takaya.
Takaya gets through Byrne's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Conor Byrne showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Takaya has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Masato Takaya!